WERAROA FARM

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 3, 4 July 1939, Page 8

WERAROA FARM

"BLOT ON DISTRICT"

CONVERSION OF CABS

ISQAPIES' ESCAPADES

The burden and constant worry cast upon Levin by the presence in the district of the Weraroa Training Farm tor delinquent boys, brought forward lively comment at last evening's meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Wellington), the discussion having particular reference to the frequent, conversion of carp by escapees, Qne member characterised the institution as a blot on the district, and advocated the -.. absorption of the land into. the development scheme, but it was pointed out that, the association was concerned only with cars, Mr. R, g, Mitchell (Levin) said there were 70 boys at Weraroa, and tbe attitude of the Government in tbe last few years seemed, to bis mind, to have been very lukewarm, The Levin Chamber of Commerce had discussed the question of getting rid of the farm, The Minister had recently visited the boys and reprimanded them, and had then promised to send up two billiard tables and a set of band instruments, Th»t wns m reply to tbe bays* AIL ing their shoes, ytrjth p_l.sh, lighting »*t and then setting fire to the walls and watching the blaze from beneath their blankets, "TERIUEL? I*QNO-BUFFISfIINGi'' Two boys escaped on Saturday night, continues Mr, Mitchell, and stole the car of a woman who bad it ready to go to Wellington-. A slide had to be put on the screen in the theatre warn* ing people to led? their cars if they had not done so, One boy who was still at large bad 14 car thefts to bis .account, Levin was always getting alarms, and it seemed as though the town had been terribly iong^suffer= ing, He could not- see why on earth the government wanted to keep the farm there; it served no useful pur* pose, and the district was convinced that it was no more than a menace. Residents were always having ears stolen and bouses broken into when boyg escaped. The Government bad taken 1880 acres of the best part of tbe Kuteu' for a, settlement scheme for ill or 14 families, ahd it seemed to be an opportunity for the farm to fee dis* pensed with, The chairman (Mr, ■$. A. Satti said the Minister was fully aware of the position at tbe farm. He bad been approached about it before, and he (Mr, Batt) couAd not gee that the association could do more, He under" stood that there were usually two or more cars missing when boys escaped, The secretary (Mr, W, A, Slither* land) said there were three escapes on Sunday night. The escapees broke into a motor firm's garage, took the 1(:p,! plates off one oar, put them on another, filled up with petrol from the pump inside, and drove off, "LOCAL RIiIOES," Mr. iviitcheH gaia he could assure the executive that the Levin district was heartily sick and tired of Having1 that blot in their midst^-it seemed to be a dreadful thing that that was going on, The hoy« \vero regarded m nothing more than local heroes when they returned, and they wonlft* point out to the constable wWeh garage they were going to hreafc into next. Mr, Batt gaid it seemed to be au important part of tbe Government policy as to what they were going to do with the farm. Mr, Mitchell said that in view of tlie taking of tbe other land he thought tbe time ripe to strike for having the 850 acres at tht farm used for other purposes. Wellington was needing more milk, and ft was some of the best land in the country, Mr, Batt said he was sure everyone sympathised with the district, but the association was not concerned with anything but tbe ear part of the problem, It was decided -to communicate again with the Minister in charge of the institution, pointing out th© seriousness of the cm 1 conversions.